The key role of macrophage depolarization in the treatment of COPD with ergosterol both in vitro and in vivo

Macrophages are the most abundant immune cells in the lung, which play an important role in COPD. The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation of ergosterol are well documented. However, the effect of ergosterol on macrophage polarization has not been studied. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of ergosterol on macrophage polarization in CSE-induced RAW264.7 cells and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats COPD model. Our results demonstrate that CSE-induced macrophages tend to the M1 polarization via increasing ROS, IL-6 and TNF-α, as well as increasing MMP-9 to destroy the lung construction in both RAW264.7 cells and SD rats. However, treatment of RAW264.7 cells and SD rats with ergosterol inhibited CSE-induced inflammatory by decreasing ROS, IL-6 and TNF-α, and increasing IL-10 and TGF-β, shuffling the dynamic polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2 both in vitro and in vivo. Ergosterol also decreased the expression of M1 marker CD40, while increased that of M2 marker CD163. Moreover, ergosterol improved the lung characters in rats by decreasing MMP-9. Furthermore, ergosterol elevated HDAC3 activation and suppressed P300/CBP and PCAF activation as well as acetyl NF-κB/p65 and IKKβ, demonstrating that HDAC3 deacetylation was involved in the effect of ergosterol on macrophage polarization. These results also provide a proof in immunoregulation of ergosterol for therapeutic effects of cultured C. sinensis on COPD patients.     

α7 nAChRs expressed on antigen presenting cells are insensitive to the conventional antagonists α-bungarotoxin and methyllycaconitine

Expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on antigen presenting cells (APCs), such as macrophages and dendritic cells, is now well established. We have shown that GTS-21, a selective α7 nAChR agonist, downregulates APC-dependent CD4⁺ T cell differentiation into regulatory T cells (Tregs) and effector Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells by inhibiting antigen processing, thereby interfering with antigen presentation. α7 nAChRs on Jurkat human leukemic T cells require functional T cell receptors (TCRs)/CD3 and leukocyte-specific tyrosine kinase to mediate nicotine-induced Ca²⁺-signaling via Ca²⁺ release from intracellular stores, and are insensitive to two conventional α7 nAChR antagonists, α-bungarotoxin (α-BTX) and methyllycaconitine (MLA). We investigated the effects of GTS-21, α-BTX and MLA on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced Th cytokine release from spleen cells isolated from OVA-specific TCR transgenic DO11.10 mice. We found that: (1) GTS-21 dose-dependently suppresses OVA-induced IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-17 release, but neither α-BTX nor MLA alone affected the OVA-induced cytokine release. (2) Neither α-BTX nor MLA abolished the suppressive effects of GTS-21 on IFN-γ and IL-17 release from OVA-activated DO11.10 spleen cells. (3) GTS-21 significantly suppressed OVA-induced APC-dependent CD4⁺ T cell differentiation into Tregs. Neither MLA nor mecamylamine, a non-specific nAChR antagonist, abolished the suppressive effect of GTS-21 on Treg differentiation. These results suggest that α7 nAChRs on APCs involved in cytokine synthesis and T cell differentiation are insensitive to the conventional α7 nAChR antagonists, α-BTX and MLA, and that α7 nAChRs on APCs differ pharmacologically from those in neurons.     

妇炎舒胶囊联合抗生素治疗慢性盆腔炎疗效分析

目的观察中药妇炎舒胶囊联合盐酸左氧氟沙星片和甲硝唑片治疗慢性盆腔炎患者的疗效和相关炎性因子的影响。方法收取118例湿热瘀结型慢性盆腔炎的患者,随机分为实验组(A组)和对照组(B组)各59例。A组给予妇炎舒胶囊56 d,B组妇炎舒胶囊模拟剂56 d,两组均服用盐酸左氧氟沙星片+甲硝唑片用药14 d。患者服药56 d后观察临床有效率及治疗前后血清中肿瘤坏死因子-α(Tumor necrosis factor,TNF-α),干扰素-γ(Interferon,IFN-γ)因子含量的变化;随访1个月经周期后观察者复发率及慢性盆腔痛情况。结果(1)A组中医证候积分有效率明显高于B组,且差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。(2)治疗后A组患者外周血中TNF-α和IFN-γ的含量明显低于B组,具有显著统计学差异(P<0.01)。(3)A组随访复发率(10.17%vs 96.61%)和后遗盆腔痛(18.64%vs 86.44%)均显著低于B组(P<0.01)。结论中药妇炎舒胶囊联合抗生素治疗湿热瘀结型慢性盆腔炎疗效显著,并能够降低慢性盆腔炎的复发率和慢性盆腔痛,并能通过适当降低外周血中TNF-α、IFN-γ等炎性因子的形成,起到治疗作用。     

Activity and Toxicity of Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr. Extract on BALB/c Mice Colitis-Associated Colon Cancer Model

Objective: Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr. extract (EPE) containing isoliquiritigenin and oxyresveratrol is believed to be an anticancer agent. This study evaluates colon histopathology, TNF-α, TGF-β, and hepatotoxicity on BALB/c mice colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) model treated with EPE. Methods: In vivo study was performed on BALB/c mice CAC model induced by 10 mg/kgBW AOM on the first day followed by administration that each cycle consisted of 5% DSS in water for seven days and regular water for seven days. The indicators of the formation of CAC were observed by a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and serum amyloid α (SAA) test. The treatment was conducted once a week started from the seventh week up to the twentieth week with six treatment groups: I was administrated by regular water only (negative control), II was administrated by AOM and DSS only (positive control), III was administrated by doxorubicin,  IV-VI were treated by EPE (0.25 mg/kg BW, 0.50 mg/kg BW, and 1.00 mg/kg BW) respectively. The colon and liver’s histopathology was observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, TNF-α with immunohistochemistry (IHC), and level measurement of TGF-β colon with ELISA reader. The data were used one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc as statistical analysis. Results: The administration of EPE increased the expression of TNF-α, the total of goblet cells of the colon, and decreased the level of TGF-β. Administration of EPE 0.50 mg/20g BW decreased a liver histopathological score but induced a histopathological alteration of the liver at a dose of 1.00 mg/20g BW. Conclusion: This study indicate that EPE could be recommended as a colon anticancer through increase the goblet cells, induce apoptosis through increase TNF-α, and decrease TGF-β.     

Cinnamaldehyde suppresses NLRP3 derived IL-1β via activating succinate/HIF-1 in rheumatoid arthritis rats

Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is an essential component of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia Presland), which is often used as a flavoring condiment in beverages, pastries, perfumes, etc. Cinnamon is also used as herbal medicine in China and Southeast Asia to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, the molecular mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate its anti-inflammatory effects against Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using activated macrophages (Raw246.7) in vitro and adjuvant arthritis rats (AA) in vivo. The results demonstrated that CA significantly reduced synovial inflammation in AA rats, possibly due to suppression of the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially the IL-1β. Further investigation found that CA also suppressed the activity of HIF-1α by inhibiting the accumulation of succinate in cytoplasm. As we know, the reduction of HIF-1α nucleation slows down IL-1β production, because HIF-1α activates the expression of NLRP3, which is involved in the assembly of inflammasome and processing of IL-1β. In addition, CA also inhibited the expression of the succinate receptor GPR91, which in turn inhibited the activation of HIF-1α. In conclusions, our results suggested that CA might be a potential therapeutic compound to relieve rheumatoid arthritis progress by suppressing IL-1β through modulating succinate/HIF-1α axis and inhibition of NLRP3.     

Chronic inflammation and risk of lung cancer in older adults in the health,aging and body composition cohort study

Objectives

We examined the association between three inflammatory markers (Interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α) and incident lung cancer using baseline, updated, and averaged inflammatory measures in older adults.

高频电针结合臭氧对膝骨关节炎患者血清IL-1及TNF-α表达的影响

目的:研究高频电针(100Hz)结合膝关节腔内注射臭氧对膝骨关节炎(KOA)患者血清IL-1及TNF-α水平的影响。方法:将195例KOA患者随机分为三组,100 Hz电针治疗组(A组,n=65); 膝关节腔内臭氧注射治疗组(B组,n=65); 100 Hz电针结合膝关节腔内臭氧注射治疗组(C组,n=65),疗程均为3周。分别于治疗前和治疗后检测患者血清IL-1及TNF-α水平,并进行WOMAC 指数评分。结果:治疗后,三组患者的血清IL-1、TNF-α含量均较治疗开始前有所降低; 且C 组改善水平优于A、B 组,B组改善水平优于A组,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05); 治疗后,三组患者WOMAC 指数评分均较治疗前有所降低; 且C 组WOMAC评分好于A和B 组,B 组WOMAC评分优于A 组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:高频电针结合膝关节腔内注射臭氧可显著抑制KOA患者血清 IL-1、TNF-α的表达,改善患者WOMAC指数评分。     

A randomized,double-blind,controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of an intranasally administered trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine with adjuvant LTh(αK): A phase I study

Background

A nasal influenza vaccine has been available only in a live attenuated form, which limits the range of recipients to immune-competent individuals. The present study evaluated a newly developed intranasal inactivated influenza vaccine with a novel adjuvant, heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) derived from E. coli (LTh(αK)).

B cell and B cell-related pathways for novel cancer treatments

B cells are recognized as the main effector cells of humoral immunity which suppress tumor progression by secreting immunoglobulins, promoting T cell response, and killing cancer cells directly. Given these properties, their anti-tumor immune response in the tumor micro-environment (TME) is of great interest. Although T cell-related immune responses have become a therapeutic target with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, not all patients benefit from these treatments. B cell and B cell-related pathways (CCL19, −21/CCR7 axis and CXCL13/CXCR5 axis) play key roles in activating immune response through humoral immunity and local immune activation via tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) formation. However they have some protumorigenic works in the TME. Thus, a better understanding of B cell and B cell-related pathways is necessary to develop effective cancer control. In this review, we summarize recent evidences regarding the roles of B cell and B cell-related pathways in the TME and immune response and discuss their potential roles for novel cancer treatment strategies.